Abby Huntsman: The Smart Read

Abby Huntsman, Political Commentator and Host for HuffPost Live at Huffington Post, shares the three smartest things she read this week.

Excluding Outsiders or Coming Together for the Common Good: What’s the True Meaning of Patriotism? by Robert Reich, Huffington Post
Robert Reich’s article in the Huffington Post about patriotism couldn’t have been more timely. With a seemingly never-ending and ever-dividing presidential election filling the 24-hour news cycle, Reich reminds us that in the end we are all Americans and we should put our patriotism before politics. My favorite line reads, “Regressives in Congress have substituted partisanship for patriotism, placing party loyalty above loyalty to America.” During a time of great economic uncertainty, we owe it to ourselves to come together and fight for the best country in the world.

Hillary Clinton’s Last Tour as a Rock-Star Diplomat by Steven Lee Myers, New York Times
You can’t deny it. Most Americans have developed a deeper respect and admiration for Hillary Clinton over the past four years. The New York Time’s writes a colorful review of her tenure as Secretary of State, highlighting her ability to put politics aside for the good of the country. As the article points out, she didn’t walk into the job with as much experience as past Secretaries of State, but she has proven to be the best suited for the job, even to her surprise. Her continued selfless effort to make this world a better place, whether it be fighting for cleaner stoves in China or for women’s rights, is something all Americans should be grateful for. “When asked to serve, she does. And her president asked.”

Obama Has a Good Day by Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal
In the wake of the Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act, every political pundit across the country worked to make sense of the practical and political implications. As always, Peggy Noonan released a thoughtful and spot-on explanation of the broader impact. For Republicans, it represents an opportunity to energize the conservative base by a broadly detested law. And, while Democrats and the White House are enjoying a “good day”, their message needs to refocus on jobs, the economy, reducing the nation’s debt, and convincing the American people that even though we’re not where we need to be, we are on the right track.

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